UNTIL FEBRUARY 26 2005, BATH: IT HAS been a baptism of fire for Liza Goddard. At the start of the year she had never sung and danced on stage in her life, but all that was about to change as she joined up with the cast of High Society on Monday.

Offered the part in the revival musical after her school chum Susie Blake relinquished her role as Mother Lord to return to Weatherfield as brassy barmaid Bev, Liza jumped at the chance to join a cast already nominated for two Olivier awards.

But then there was the choreography and bucket-loads of energy to think about a challenge for even the most experienced of thespians.

Speaking about the strains of coping with the demands of a musical, Liza said: "I took over this week and I was absolutely petrified.

"I do find singing, dancing and moving my hands and legs at the same time rather difficult.

"The crew are just fabulous and so sweet to me. They keep telling me when I am in the wrong place."

High Society, based on The Philadelphia Story, was created for the Broadway stage for the likes of Katherine Hepburn, set around a society wedding in 1940s America.

Its revival in London, fashioned by director Ian Talbot, has been part of a renewed interest in the work of Cole Porter.

But Liza, who was last in Bath in December appearing for the first time in an Alan Ayckbourn's play Season's Greetings, is no stranger to firsts and while insisting each production will be her last, she shows no sign of letting up.

"People just keep asking me to appear in productions," she said.

"Everytime I finish a show I say I will never work again. At least life is never boring.

"There was an article I read saying theatre was alive and well in the provinces and it is totally true."

Coincidentally Liza's ex-husband Alvin Stardust is preparing to take over the role of the childcatcher in the West End's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in which her close friend Christopher Biggins also stars.

Liza shot to fame in 1967 appearing in Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.

Past stage credits includes Lady Bracknell in the Importance of Being Earnest and Mrs Erlynne in Lady Windermere's Fan.

Craig Evry

High Society

Theatre Royal, Bath

Monday until February 26